Liwan Design Studios and Labs invite the public to the Liwan Library Symposium: First Edition, starting this Sunday, 29 October until 31 October.
Under the theme, Tales and Traditions: Arabic Children’s Literature through Heritage, Modernity, Archiving, and Education, the Liwan Library Symposium is set to become a landmark in Children’s Arabic literature, history and education.
According to Liwan Director Aisha Bint Nasser Al Sowaidi, the symposium is the first in the region to look at children’s Arabic literature.
We are pleased to be able to bring together literature and history experts across the region to discuss key themes related to preserving Arabic children’s literature.
She said that as part of Liwan’s archival project, a restoration of 850 children’s storybooks showcasing some of the best late 20th-century typography, illustration and design from the Arab world are archived in Liwan’s children’s library.
We hope this symposium will shine a light on our unique archive library and act as a bridge connecting the past with the future while nurturing young minds through the magic of storytelling.
Housed in a historic mid-century building in Downtown Mshereib, Liwan is in an imaginatively repurposed historic building that once served as the first school for girls in Qatar, founded by education pioneer Amna Mahmoud Al Jaida. The original school, Banat El Doha, opened in the late 1950s and over the years, it was renamed Umm Almo’mneen Primary School.
Liwan Library Symposium: First Edition
Liwan Library Symposium: First Edition further strengthens Liwan’s commitment to preserving and archiving cultural treasures, exemplified by its impressive archival collection of children’s books carefully stored in the Liwan library. Eight hundred fifty children’s storybooks showcase leading Arab illustrators, storytellers and designers.
Notable works include iconic illustrations and designs by renowned artists Helmy El Touny and Burhan Karkoutly. The archive is home to a collection of books from famous Arab publishing houses, including Dar Al-Fata Al-Arabi in Lebanon and Dar al-Hilal in Egypt.
Over three days, visitors will get the chance to explore a diverse range of topics, from delving into timeless classics like Hayy bin Yaqdhan to discussing the profound impact of digital publishing, archiving and the role of storytelling in education.
This symposium will also amplify Palestinian voices with the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Palestinian speakers will join to discuss the humanitarian situation and writing, publishing and illustrating for children under the occupation of Palestine. As well as exhibiting books from Liwan’s vast collection of children’s literature on the issue, the symposium will include two workshops on using artistic expression to document violations committed by the occupation.
Qatar Red Crescent will collect donations during the symposium. All proceeds will go towards humanitarian aid to Gaza. Keynote speakers and panellists for the event include prominent figures in the field of Arabic literature, children’s education and archiving.
The event is FREE and will be conducted in Arabic. For more information and registration, RSVP through Liwan’s website.
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